Shal.
Nere talke to me, Ile make a star-chamber matter of it.
The Councell shall know it.

Page.
Nay good maister Shallow be perswaded by mee.

Slen.
Nay surely my vncle shall not put it vp so.

Sir Hu.
Wil you not heare reasons M. Slenders?
You should heare reasons.

Shal.
Tho he be a knight, he shall not thinke to carrie it so away.
M. Page I will not be wronged. For you
Syr, I loue you, and for my cousen,
He comes to looke vpon your daughter.

Pa.
And heres my hand, and if my daughter
Like him so well as I, wee'l quickly haue it a match:
In the meane time let me entreate you to soiourne
Here a while. And on my life Ile vndertake
To make you friends.

Sir Hu.
I pray you M. Shallowes let it be so.
The matter is pud to arbitarments.
The first man is M. Page, videlicet M. Page.
The second is my selfe, videlicet my selfe.
The third and last man, is mine host of the gartyr. Enter Syr Iohn Falstaffe, Pistoll, Bardolfe, and Nim.
Heere is sir Iohn himselfe now, looke you.

Fal.

Now M. Shallow, youle complaine of me to the Councell, I heare?

Shal.
Sir Iohn, sir Iohn, you haue hurt my keeper,

Kild my dogs, stolne my deere.

Fal.
But not kissed your keepers daughter.

Shal.
Well this shall be answered.

Fal.
Ile answere it strait ^note. I haue done all this.
This is now answred.

Shal.
Well, the Councell shall know it.

Fal.
Twere better for you twere knowne in counsell,
Youle be laught at.

Sir Hugh.
Good vrdes sir Iohn, good vrdes.

Fal.
Good vrdes, good Cabidge.
Slender I brake your head,
What matter haue you against mee?

Slen.

I haue matter in my head against you and your cogging companions, Pistoll and Nym. They carried mee to the Tauerne, and made mee drunke, and afterward picked my pocket.

Fal.

What say you to this Pistoll, did you picke Maister Slenders purse Pistoll?

Slen.

I by this handkercher did he. Two faire shouell boord shillings, besides seuen groats in mill sixpences.

Fal.

What say you to this Pistoll?

Pist.
Sir Iohn, and Maister mine, I combat craue
Of this same laten bilbo. I do retort the lie
Euen in thy gorge, thy gorge, thy gorge.

Slen.
By this light it was he then.

Nym.
Syr my honor is not for many words,
But if you run bace humors of me,
I will say mary trap. And there's the humor of it.

Fal.
You heare these matters denide gentlemen,
You heare it. Enter Mistresse Foord, Mistresse Page, and her daughter Anne.

Pa.
No more now,
I thinke it be almost dinner time,
For my wife is come to meete vs.

Fal.
Mistresse Foord, I think your name is,
If I mistake not.
Syr Iohn kisses her.

Mis. Ford.
Your mistake sir is nothing but in the Mistresse.
But my husbands name is Foord sir.

Fal.
I shall desire your more acquaintance.
The like of you good misteris Page.

Mis. Pa.
With all my hart sir Iohn.
Come husband will you goe?
Dinner staies for vs.

Pa.
With all my hart, come along Gentlemen. Exit all, but Slender and Mistresse Anne.

Anne.
Now forsooth why do you stay me?
What would you with me?

Slen.

Nay for my owne part, I would litle or nothing with you. I loue you well, and my vncle can tell you how my liuing stands. And if you can loue me why so. If not, why then happie man be his dole.

An.
You say well M. Slender.
But first you must giue me leaue to
Be acquainted with your humor,
And afterward to loue you if I can.

Slen.

Why by God, there's neuer a man in christendome can desire more. What haue you beares in your Towne mistresse Anne, your dogs barke so?

An.

I cannot tell M. Slender, I think there be.

Slen.

Ha how say you? I warrant your afeard of a Beare let loose, are you not?

An.

Yes trust me.

Slen.
Now that's meate and drinke to me,
Ile run yon ^note to a beare, and take her by the mussell,
You neuer saw the like.
But indeed I cannot blame you,
For they are maruellous rough things.

Anne.
Will yo go into dinner M. Slendor?
The meate staies for you.

Slen.
No faith not I. I thanke you,
I cannot abide the smell of hot meate
Nere since I broke my shin. Ile tel you how it came
By my troth. A Fencer and I plaid three venies
For a dish of stewd prunes, and I with my ward
Defending my head, he hot my shin. Yes faith. Enter Maister Page.

Pa.
Come, come Maister Slender, dinner staies for you.

Slen.
I can eate no meate, I thanke you.

Pa.
You shall not choose I say.

Slen.
Ile follow you sir, pray leade the way.
Nay be God misteris Anne, you shall goe first,
I haue more manners then so, I hope.

An.
Well sir, I will not be troublesome. Exit omnes.

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